Iwo Jima: Crew spots lights tracking plane
On March 26, 1945, a US night fighter crew north of Iwo Jima observed lights that followed their aircraft through turns, with brief radar contact during pursuit. A similar sighting occurred on March 28 by another crew.
Background
Incident Description
During an air exercise on March 26, 1945, Lieut. Calvin P. Lamb (pilot), Lieut. James G. Holmes (radar operator), and Sgt. John W. McIsaac (gunner) noticed lights on an object in the air. The lights accompanied the aircraft through several turns, but drew away as the crew circled north of Iwo Jima, Japan. The crew pursued the object and obtained a weak contact on the airborne radar before it disappeared.
Further Sighting
On March 28, 1945, Lieut. William F. Sill (pilot), Flight Officer George W. Hayden (radar operator), and PFC William Brasvell (gunner) reported a similar luminous object. This points to a series of encounters in the region during the Second World War.
Witnesses and Evidence
Three military witnesses per incident, among them qualified pilots and radar operators of the 549th Night Fighter Squadron. Radar confirmation is rare evidence of a physical target. No photographs or sketches exist.
Significance
An early military UAP encounter with pursuit behaviour and radar data, documented in historical UFO catalogues such as Project 1947.